HANDBOOK FOR TRAINING INCUMBENTS
AND ASSISTANT CURATES
2017/18
Contents
Contents
1. The Aim of the Curacy
2. The Curacy and IME Phase 2 in Canterbury, Chichester and Rochester......
Dioceses
2.1Curacy Training and Formation (IME Phase 2)
2.2St Augustine’s College of Theology (formally SEITE)
2.2.1Staff and Tutors
2.2.2THE ST AUGUSTINE’S COLLEGE OF THEOLOGY Governance
2.2.3University partnerships
2.3ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS...... 7
2.4BOOKS AND JOURNALS
2.5HOW WE LEARN
2.6FEEDBACK
2.7 VIRTUAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT (VLE)...... 9
3. Assessment at the end of the Curacy
4. The Training Partnership...... 10
5. Training and Support for Training Incumbents
6. BEFORE THE CURACY BEGINS
7. THE TRAINING PARISH
8. THE CURACY AGREEMENT
9. THE NATURE OF TRAINING AND LEARNING
10.ANNUAL REVIEW PROCESS FOR ASSISTANT MINISTERS IN THE FIRST THREE YEARS
11. CURATE MINISTER AND TRAINING INCUMBENT ANNUAL REVIEW FORM : YEARS 1 - 3 : PART 1
12. Checklist for Regular Review - For Curates see appendix 5
13. PRACTICAL MATTERS
14. GUIDANCE NOTES FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF ORDAINED ASSISTANT STAFF
15. USEFUL PUBLICATIONS
16. Appendixes List
Appendix 1
Appendix 2
Appendix 3
Appendix 4...... 40
Appendix 5...... 42
Appendix 6...... 50
Appendix 7...... 51
Appendix 8...... 53
Appendix 9
Appendix 10
Appendix 11
1. The Aim of the Curacy
After completion of the first stage of Initial Ministerial Education 1-3now called IME phase 1,Ordinands are ordained to a ‘Title’ post or curacy to serve in the three-fold ministry of the Church, first as deacon then, one year later, also as priest. The main characteristic of the curacy, which lasts for a minimum of three years, and is normally completed within four years for stipendiary curates and six years for self-supporting curates, is continued ministerial formation and training. The curacy is a time for continuing formation, learning, reflection and growth and each year will have distinctive elements and new skills to focus on. During this period of IME 4-7 now called IME phase 2the curate learns to become the minister they have been called to be and involves ‘knowing’, ‘being’ and ‘doing’.
They will be building on their previous experience as Christian disciples and ministers before they were ordained. They will be taking further the spiritual exploration and theological learning gained during phase1. After ordination they will be learning their new roles with their duties, skills and responsibilities in the practical ministry environment of a particular parish in its context as part of the wider Church of God. This may also involve a secular setting for self-supporting curates.
Curates who are self-supporting ministers and their Training Incumbents need to note that there is no such thing as a part-time deacon or priest. The ministry context may vary but all deacons and priests are fully ordained and are called to exercise ‘whole’ ministries. This means that arrangements for the content and frequency of supervisions for example need to take into account the varied shapes that ordained ministries can take.
Upon completion of IME21 it is expected that curates will be developing in the following areas:
a).Prayer
Curates will have cultivated a working spirituality which sustains them in their ministry and which contributes to their holistic well-being. They will have found practical ways to be held accountable for their Christian discipleship, and will be increasingly able to share with others the spiritual treasures that they have uncovered.
b).Mission
Curates will be growing into their vocation to a visibly representative role, and into a readiness to exercise the authority that the role confers. As deacons and priests of the Church of England, they will be aware of their responsibilities, both to the worshipping community and to the wider community in which they are set. They will be learning to articulate the demands of their faith appropriately in their own context, and to proclaim the Gospel accordingly. They will have demonstrated a potential for releasing people, buildings, and resources in God’s service. They will be developing imaginative partnerships for mission wherever there are opportunities.
c). Worship
Curates will have experienced a range of worship styles and practices. They will be able to create and lead liturgy to suit a variety of moods, contexts and occasions, and those ordained priest will be confident liturgical presidents. Their sense of worship’s deep rhythms means that they will be comfortable inhabiting unfamiliar and challenging settings.
d). Relationships
Curates will be able to sustain a varied pattern of creative working relationships and appropriate pastoral relationships, conscious of the Church’s duty to safeguard the vulnerable. They will be growing in effectiveness in facilitating groups and chairing meetings, and in discernment as team-builders. They will be accruing experience of supervising and mentoring colleagues. They will understand the value of pooling vision, energy, and resource to collaborate with others in the service of the Kingdom of God and in the care of God’s people.
e). Learning
Curates will remain inquisitive seekers after God's truth who continually study Scripture and the Christian tradition. They will unafraid to learn from their mistakes and from their successes, and they will have adopted patterns of learning and theological reflection that will refresh and energize their ministerial practice and equip them for their service of God's mission to the world.
It is understood that curates train for different roles – as incumbents, as assistant ministers, and as ordained pioneers – and it therefore follows that the interpretation of these outcomes will be affected by those designations.
2. The Curacy and IMEPhase 2 in Canterbury, Chichester and Rochester
Dioceses
All title post curates in Canterbury, Chichester and Rochester Dioceses take part in the 3/4 year South East Regional Training Partnership (SERTP) Phase 2 Course. The IMEphase 2 is a partnership programme of the three dioceses and the University of Durham facilitated by St Augustine’s College of Theology (formally SEITE-the South East Institute for Theological Education), which leads to the award of a BA or a Postgraduate Diploma/MA in Theology, Ministry and Mission. The details of the IME phase 2 modules can be found inappendix 1.
2.1Curacy Training and Formation (IME Phase 2)
The joint venture between the Dioceses of Rochester and Canterbury, for almost two decades now, has proved to be the field leader in curacy training and formation, combining ministerial formation with a university-validated programme which has the added benefit of a more advanced degree or diploma. Under Common Awards this partnership will be further developed with the inclusion of the Diocese of Chichester. The rationale for such a programme’s existence, however, is not primarily to provide an academic qualification. Rather, it is seen as a way to develop and monitor growth in ministry engagement during the first years following ordination, using academic assessments as one of the measurement guides. Observable vocational development leads on to the earning of the qualification.
Although the programme is delivered through taught sessions, the learning is primarily student-centred. The individual modules use the experiences of the course members as the focus for learning. As fully engaged ministers you will be self-directed learners, working independently, with tutorial support, to your own study plans.
Learning and teaching strategies include the use of learning groups of different sizes (pairs, learning sets and larger plenary groups). Learning sessions include role-play, case studies, lectures, seminars (including student-led seminars), videos, guided study and tutorials. Differentiation of level is managed primarily through tutorials. The module leaders recognise that theological learning is ‘faith seeking understanding’. For this reason learning sessions will sometimes include prayer and worship, usually led by course members.
The pattern of the delivery of the programme requires a mix of venues. The residential weekends will meet in locations which provide the necessary residential and teaching facilities, such as Aylesford Priory. Day Schools will be held at the International Study Centre, Canterbury Cathedral and St George’s, Southwark. Formative Assessment Groups will meet in appropriate locations in the dioceses of Canterbury and Rochester which are geographically convenient to members of the groups.
There are reasons that might cause a curate to miss or be late for IME phase 2; for example sickness or family emergency. In these cases the curate should telephone or email one of the Programme Directors as soon as the situation arises.
Full participation in IME phase 2 is mandatory for all curates. Incumbents and curates will need to ensure in their planning of parish events and schedules, and holiday dates, that the curate is available to attend all IME phase 2 sessions. Occasional offices, school assemblies, regular communion services, etc. should be the responsibility of other parish or deanery staff on IME phase 2 days. Please avoid any duties for Sunday evenings of anIME phase 2 residential.
2.2St Augustine’s Collegeof Theology
While delivered principally by a Diocesan team, your course is overseen for academic purposes by the St Augustine’s College of Theology.
Apart from overseeing the training of curates (IME Phase 2), the St Augustine’s College of Theology offers courses of ministerial formation and theological education for the following groups of students:
•Ordained ministry students: people who have been sponsored to train for ordained ministry by the Church of England, the Methodist Church or another denomination. They participate in modules designed specifically to prepare them for ordained ministry as well as the core modules shared with other students.
•Readers in training: people who have been sponsored to train for Reader ministry in the Church of England by the Dioceses of Canterbury, Chichester and Southwark.
•Independent students: people who want to study theology at University level for the sake of deepening discipleship, developing ministry, exploring vocation or continuing education – usually a combination of at least two of these – through taking core modules and in many cases working towards a qualification with Durham University.
2.2.1Staff and Tutors
Each Diocesan curacy process is facilitated by the respective programme directors. Academic responsibility for each module varies and details for each are found below:
•Module Leaders:
Module 1 – Nick Papadopulos
Module 2 – Rebecca Swyer
Module 3 – Neville Emslie
Module 4 – tbc
Module 5 – Lorraine Turner
Module 6 – Nick Papadopulos Rebecca Swyer
•Each Diocese has Formative Assessment Group facilitators (See Appendix 8):
Rochester year 1 – Anne Jablonski and Tim Humphrey
Rochester year 2 – Chris Noble and Miriam Barker
Rochester year 3 – Nick Williams and Pat Dickin
•Academic Registrar (the St Augustine’s College of Theology): Bea Cliffordsupports the day-to-day administration of the Institute with a specific responsibility for student records, including information about assignments and marks.
A wide range of other people is involved in the delivery of the course, from external teaching staff at core and residential sessions to placement supervisors and local ministers.
2.2.2THE ST AUGUSTINE’S COLLEGE OF THEOLOGY Governance
THE ST AUGUSTINE’S COLLEGE OF THEOLOGY is a registered charity and a Company Limited by Guarantee. It has a governing body in the form of the Council, which includes representatives from sponsoring churches and other stakeholders, including students and staff, as well as co-opted members. Council currently meets once a term and has ultimate responsibility for ensuring THE ST AUGUSTINE’S COLLEGE OF THEOLOGY fulfils its purpose by monitoring its activities and supporting its development. The current Chair of Council is Revd Canon Chris Dench.
THE ST AUGUSTINE’S COLLEGE OF THEOLOGY Council has two sub-committees:-
•The Board of Management: responsible for the oversight of the management of THE ST AUGUSTINE’S COLLEGE OF THEOLOGY within the framework of objectives, policy and strategy agreed by the Council. It usually meets once a term and is chaired by the Chair of Council.
•The Board of Studies: responsible for internal oversight of THE ST AUGUSTINE’S COLLEGE OF THEOLOGY programme. It is currently chaired by The Revd Rebecca Swyer, and includes student representatives as well as members appointed by Council.
2.2.3University partnerships
The IME Phase 2 pathway is part ofTHE ST AUGUSTINE’S COLLEGE OF THEOLOGY programme, which is validated by Durham University, under the Church of England’s Common Awards scheme.
2.3ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS
2.3.1INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION
All curates need to contact their respective Diocesan administrators and programme directors regarding any matters pertaining to their curacy. Matters regarding modules need to be directed towards the appropriate individuals with academic responsibility.
Throughout your programme of study you will also be using a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). THE VLE is used for staff-student communication as well as the provision of study resources. Regular access is essential for all students.
As far as communicating with us is concerned, the best person to contact is as follows:
•Matters related to a particular module – the module tutor, or if they are not available, the module convenor;
•Matters related to registration and assignment submission – the Academic Registrar (THE ST AUGUSTINE’S COLLEGE OF THEOLOGY).
2.3.2BOARD OF STUDIES, RESIDENTIAL EVENTS & STUDY DAYS
STUDY DAYS AND RESIDENTIALS
Years 1,2,3 Day School – Saturday 16 September 2017ISC Canterbury
Residential w/e –13-15 October 2017 Aylesford Priory
Formative Assessment Groups – w/c 30October 2017
w/c 27 November 2017
w/c 8 January 2018
Assignment deadlines 1pm Module 1 & 3 Essay: 23January 2018
Module 1 Resource: 6 February 2018
Module 3 Reflection6 February 2018
Module 56 February 2018
Years 1,2,3 Day School – Saturday 27 January 2018St George the Martyr, Southwark
Years 1, 2 Residential w/e – 2-4 March 2018 Aylesford Priory
Year 3 Residential w/e – 27-29 April 2018 St Andres, Bruges
Formative Assessment Groups – w/c 26 March 2018
w/c 23April 2018
w/c 14 May 2018
Assignment deadline 1pm Module 2, 4, 6 Essay5 June 2018
Module 2Resource19 June 2018
Module 4Case study19 June 2018
Module 6 Reflection19 June 2018
2.4BOOKS AND JOURNALS
Library Facilities
All students registered with THE ST AUGUSTINE’S COLLEGE OF THEOLOGY have access to the Mother Agnes Mason library and Southwark Theological Collection. Both libraries have online catalogues.
Students registered with Durham University also have access to electronic resources available through Common Awards
See the ‘Libraries & Learning Resources’ page at the VLEs for full details, including library opening times.
Other resources, including bookshops
•Certain bookshops have a close relationship with the Institute and are pleased to assist students trying to track down books – details at the St Augustine’s College of Theology-online.
•Online bookshops: As well as Amazon, you may fine and helpful.
•Local ministers may be able to lend books to you.
•Fellow students may be able to lend books or share purchases.
2.5HOW WE LEARN
Crucial to learning is relating new material to your prior knowledge. As mature students you begin with an immense range of learning: experiential and academic, formal and informal, church-based and related to other professional contexts. Some is held with pride and some is barely noticed. New learning that remains unrelated to this prior learning is likely to be superficial and therefore to evaporate once you finish your course.
New learning also involves re-evaluating prior learning. You will be encouraged to build on, and where necessary critique and correct, previously held patterns of knowing, doing and being that are relevant for your future lay or ordained ministry.
Not only must new learning be related to prior learning but you need to learn how to keep learning. What you will learn during your course is not a fixed package that once gained can be safely stowed away. Much of what you learn on this course will be how to develop your learning throughout the rest of your life.
Learning is not just about gaining knowledge. Identifying your motivations to learn (or why you are resisting learning or change) is also important. This is how you take responsibility for your learning.
Learning cannot be passive or by rote, but must involve acting on and participating in the learning process through discussion, practical exercises and the like. Our teaching practice throughout the course is thus participatory and interactive. This may be different from your prior experience at school or university.
2.6FEEDBACK
Tutors welcome constructive feedback on their teaching and how you are learning. Help us to help you learn. We regard ourselves as obliged to give you constructively critical feedback as part of our professional responsibilities, but also to learn from the feedback you give to us. One formal way in which you give us feedback is through online Module Evaluation Forms that you are asked to complete at the end of each module. Your help in completing these forms honestly and fairly is much appreciated.
However, these evaluation forms only give a snapshot. It is more helpful for tutors if you give feedback on classes, both positive and constructively critical immediately after a class or at intervals through the term. If you think something is going wrong – don’t suffer silently!
2.7 VIRTUAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT (VLE)
As a student on a Durham-validated Common Awards programme, the VLE you will use is Moodle.
The VLE is an integral component of your learning at THE ST AUGUSTINE’S COLLEGE OF THEOLOGY. It is used to provide access to core material for courses delivered by THE ST AUGUSTINE’S COLLEGE OF THEOLOGY (or under the supervision of THE ST AUGUSTINE’S COLLEGE OF THEOLOGY) and to communicate essential information and weekly notices. Students are expected to log in to the VLE regularly, especially prior to and following teaching events in order to download any hand-outs and obtain notice of any advance reading required to prepare for classes.
If you have any problems logging in, please contact the respective Diocesan Programme Director. Once you have logged in for the first time, you will be able to change your password.Use of the site is thereafter intended to be intuitive. Do take some time to familiarise yourself with its structure and contents. Note in particular the ‘Programme Information’ section which provides the full set of policies and procedures that you will need during your course, and which expands upon this basic Induction Handbook. If you have any difficulty finding the information you need, please contact the respective Diocesan Programme Co-ordinator.